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Newly Assimilated - Trying To Not Fear The Egg

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UberNewb
UberNewb Posts: 2
in EggHead Forum

I am very familiar with the amazing food that can come off a properly tuned BGE and great cook - and after running through a few propane (hisss) units, decided to get the best. Went with a Large since it is just two people with the rare company for dinner...I'm a great cook but figure there will be a large learning curve ahead of me.

Now, I have to decide what to prepare for the first cook with ye olde low and slow advice given for the first few uses. Assuming my husband allows me to christen the egg.

Great crowd/cult you've got here!

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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    Welcome. 

    learnings

    1. Don't forget to burp the egg
    1a.  Don't forget to burp the egg
    2 don't chase temps and don't sweat +/- 25 from target
    3 relax and enjoy the ride
    4 don't forget to burp the egg


    lots of options for first cooks. 

    Ribs, spatchcock chicken, pork butt...
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  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
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    I usually recommend a spatchcock chicken as a first cook.  It usually comes out great and isn't too difficult.  There are some good instructions at:

    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spatch.htm


    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
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    The most important rule.....  RELAX.  If you think too hard, you are working too hard!

    LBGE #19 from North GA Eggfest, 2014

    Stockbridge, GA - just south of Atlanta where we are covered up in Zombies!  #TheWalkingDead films practically next door!

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  • EggPerfection
    EggPerfection Posts: 124
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    I really don't think there's that bad of a learning curve.  Jump in and start lovin' it!
    Best - Jack
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,405
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    Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  And as mentioned, relax with the whole process. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Sardonicus
    Sardonicus Posts: 1,700
    edited June 2015
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    theyolksonyou said:
    Welcome. 

    learnings

    1. Don't forget to burp the egg
    1a.  Don't forget to burp the egg
    2 don't chase temps and don't sweat +/- 25 from target
    3 relax and enjoy the ride
    4 don't forget to burp the egg


    lots of options for first cooks. 

    Ribs, spatchcock chicken, pork butt...


    You neglected to mention the hazards of tethering canines to the nest.

    C'mon Yolkie!  Get it together.


    @UberNewb : Welcome. 

    And . . . Don't forget to burp the Egg.

    "Too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and barbecuing."      - George Burns

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  • RAC
    RAC Posts: 1,688
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    Welcome aboard and enjoy!

    Ricky

    Boerne, TX

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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    @Sardonicus thank you for pointing out the error of my ways. I will wholeheartedly try to work on my forum responses. ;)
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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    Here's something I just wrote up for a friend of mine. It's not the be all end all but there might be a thing or two that helps. 

    Tips for your New BIG GREEN EGG from THE BIG GRILL SHOP!


    Make a calendar event  to tighten your band bolts in 30 days. Especially the top band that holds the dome. (My Dome fell off a tall deck. The Egg Gods were with with me, it didn’t break!)

    2.  Go to www.biggreenegg.com and register your new Egg. While there, go to The Forum and register. Tons of information, recipes, photos, how-to’s and (usually) good banter. 


    3. YouTube is your friend. Google “Big Green Egg (insert name of food)”. Lots of tips and tricks. 


    4.  Get in the habit of “Burping” your Egg from the first cook. What is “Burping” you ask? Google is your friend. 


    5. Buy a good thermometer to take meat temperatures. Thermo-pens are popular. Thermo-pops are (cheaper and) popular. Amazon is your friend. With the Egg, you cook meats and fish to a temperature. The time to cook is not the key (but you’ll learn what takes how long for planning purposes). 


    6. Don’t do a high temp cook (500 degrees plus) for the first few cooks. You need to break in the gasket - the felt seals around the base and the dome. 


    7. “Spatchcock” Chicken is a popular first cook. Search “Spatchcock” in the Big Green Egg Forum’s search feature. It’s a 375 degree cook and the chicken will  AMAZE you. 


    8. Pork Butts and Ribs are popular first “Low and Slow” cooks at 225-250 degrees. Depending on size, Butts can take several hours to hit 200-205 degrees when it will probe like “butah” . Ribs, depending on method, can take several hours to pass the “bend test”


    9. Learn the terms: Direct, Raised Grate and Indirect and how/when to employ them. 


    10. Setting and controlling temperatures can take some practice . Remember, it’s all about air flow. More air, more heat. And when cooking a “Low and Slow” it’s MUCH EASIER to catch the temp on the way up then trying to cool it down.


    11. You are about to become a Rub Hoarder. DizzyDust, Big Byron’s Butt Rub and Oakridge BBQ are popular. There are a TON of rubs on the market. Make room in the pantry. Try them. 


    12. Big Green Egg lump is smokey. Brands like Rockwood, Nature Glo, Sugar Maple and others are not. EGGsperiment with what lump you like with what food. All lump is not created equal - burns faster, burns longer, lights faster, lights slower, produces little/ a lot of ash, etc. 


    13. Eggsperiment with smoking woods. Hickory for Butts, for example, Apple for Chicken. Try it!


    12. In addition to BGE Eggsessoires sold by the Big Grill Shop, there are a ton of 3rd party products to suit your every BGE need. Shop around, search the Forum.


        
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    There will be a learning curve but it's not rocket science! Getting to and maintaining temps is what will take a few cooks. 

    The Egg is a mere tool. You are the master carpenter! 
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,282
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    I was also apprehensive my first cook. I did ABTs to see if I could control the temperature. No problems there, I did a spatchcock chicken the next day with no issues.

    I only took me about 3 cooks to get comfortable regulating the temperature - and that was my biggest fear.

    Time spent cooking on the Egg is not deducted from one's life. Enjoy the ride.

    South Jersey Pine Barrens. XL BGE , Assassin 24, Weber Kettle, CharBroil gasser, AMNPS 
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  • JC5404L
    JC5404L Posts: 29
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    The participation on this forum is incredible... I've been hired by companies that didn't come close to providing this much information!  Great handle "UberNewb"... that's a good one.  BTW, if you're anywhere near Atlanta stop by the mothership, the new location is a nice set up.

    BTW - all kidding aside - when you burp the egg - DON'T look into the egg to see what's happening until you're sure there's no chance of a flashback. Eyebrows and eyelashes take a long time to grow back... 

    Enjoy;
    JC
    Atlanta, GA
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    It took me about 6- 8 cooks for me to begin to become one with the it. There is no hurry....you learn something almost every cook. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
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    I've had my egg 2.5 yrs now. My learning curve was 6 months, at a year - I was very confident.

    If I could give you just one piece of advice it would be not to over think things, just go with it.

    Welcome ~ you are now home! Tim
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
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  • logchief
    logchief Posts: 1,415
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    If you want to do a first low and slow try some pulled pork, pork butts are very forgiving.

    Another good website to check out is amazingribs.com great info and recipes for all BBQ
    LBGE - I like the hot stuff.  The big dry San Joaquin Valley, Clovis, CA 
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  • UberNewb
    UberNewb Posts: 2
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    The Yolkmeister gets lots of credit for helping me to retain my facial hair. (Thinking how I could get the hubster to just put his nose nearby...) So glad that most of you indicate it is not such a big deal and to just cook already, dang it. I was also relieved that I knew what spatchcock was...

    THEBuckeye gets lots of credit for all that typing though I am betting this ain't his first newb rodeo.

    As for the harnessing of canines to eggs? The Malamute could haul it around like an anklet. Not gonna happen. And also too - holy tatercakes, who would?!

    Thanks, all!

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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    You may get some references to a certain thread regarding a dog breaking an egg. Whatever you do, DO NOT  go to that thread. We don't know each other, but trust me on this one. 
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  • Sardonicus
    Sardonicus Posts: 1,700
    edited June 2015
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    theyolksonyou said:
    You may get some references to a certain thread regarding a dog breaking an egg. Whatever you do, DO NOT  go to that thread. We don't know each other, but trust me on this one. 
    Spoilsport.
    "Too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and barbecuing."      - George Burns

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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    Sardonicus said:
    theyolksonyou said:
    You may get some references to a certain thread regarding a dog breaking an egg. Whatever you do, DO NOT  go to that thread. We don't know each other, but trust me on this one. 
    Spoilsport.
    Maybe I'm being sexist, but if she were a he, I'd have kept my mouth shut. 
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  • Lmidkiff
    Lmidkiff Posts: 442
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    All good advice and rules. Enjoy.
    McKinney, TX
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  • Hawg Fan
    Hawg Fan Posts: 1,517
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    Welcome to the forum!  Most of the members are more than happy to share their knowledge.

    Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going.

    Terry

    Rockwall, TX
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  • XC242
    XC242 Posts: 1,208
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    Welcome, have fun, you'll do great, and always,,, Egg On!!!
    LBGE (still waitin' for my free T-Shirt), DIgiQ DX2 (In Blue, cause it's the fastest), Heavy Duty Kick Ash Basket, Mc Farland, WI. :glasses:  B)
    If it wasn't for my BGE I'd have no use for my backyard...
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    I started reading this forum in December (2013) when I finally knew I was getting the egg.  By the time I actually had it delivered in February (2014), I felt like I knew enough to handle it, and I did.  I did a couple of runs to measure some temps, and I was off.  Very little learning curve thanks to the knowledge here.
    NOLA
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